Don't Blink

I don't know where the time has gone, but today my baby is six. When did this happen?

I chose the title for this post for two reasons. The first is the obvious, your babies grow up when you're not looking.

The second reason is that Peanut Head, the father of my children, Daddy, has gotten my babies hooked on the Dr. Who series. Which has been great up until the episode "Don't Blink." Now my kids cannot even use the restroom by themselves for fear of a weeping angel statue hurling them back through time.

Yeah. Good one Daddy.

Anyway, the point of this post was not to give Peanut Head the tongue lashing he so deserves, but to reflect on the highlights of Annika's last six years. Well, my favorite pictures anyway. I think she and I would disagree on what the highlights have been.

Here is the Annie we know and love today. All boisterous, in your face, and the boss of everything. I'm sure that this is the first time Zoe starting believing that Annika thinks she's a superstar. That's what she tells her all the time. "Annika, you think you're such a superstar. You think you're so hot." Zoe is a little bitter.

This is my girl. She knows how to put away some cake. How can you not love that?

This picture pretty much sums up Stinkerbell's attitude about life. She can do it herself and she doesn't need anyone else to show her how. In fact, tell her how to do it and she'll find some other way to do it and she'll take her sweet time.

I was pretty deflated after months of potty training Zoe and I just wasn't ready to face another round of that, so Annika took charge and did it herself. Thank you, Girlfriend! I'll be forever grateful for that.

Here's a little peek at the silly side of Stinker Dinker.

I seriously want to know why does my child know how to pose like a model? It's a little creepy.

Annika sees herself as the Fix-It Guy in our house, right along with Daddy. He's so proud.

Also like Daddy, she gets a little crazy about her video games. And that's not a very lady-like lounging position either, Missy.

Again, could you please not have so many cute pictures for me to choose from?

Little Miss Doesn't Follow Directions is sitting during her preschool graduation when she is supposed to be standing, twirling and singing. She's so prissy having to fix her hat and she won't be rushed. She couldn't give a rat's behind what everyone thinks.

I just love this picture. The caption on the shirt is a bit of an oxymoron in this case though. It really should say stinker.

I loved Annika as a witch. I thought she was the cutest witch ever, and I realize that I'm biased. She is believable as a witch though, she can be so mean. Although I should really just say that she is passionate, because she's just as lovable as she is mean.

First big girl bike, or in this case, big boy bike for a big girl. She's not a girlie girl, except for lip gloss and OCD things. For some reason Girlfriend is obsessed with lip gloss. Sometimes I find rocks in my dryer, and sometimes I find lip gloss. I just never know what I'm going to get.

Just a few months on those training wheels before she kicked them to the curb. Again, Daddy is so proud.

My baby went to Kindergarten this school year. That was a bittersweet day.

Being home with my girls during these first years has been the best gift I have ever received and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Watching them grow and learn is priceless.

Happy Birthday, Annika! But please, could you please, please, please just stop growing? Thank you.